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Sarah Palin Derangement Syndrome is a psychiatric diagnosis characterized by paranoia and a pervasive, long-standing suspiciousness and generalized mistrust of strong independent women who own guns or who have not aborted most of their children and who identify themselves as Republicans. (DSM-IV) For a person to be considered having a Sarah Palin Derangement Syndrome , an enduring pattern of characteristic maladaptive behaviors, thinking and personality traits must be present from the onset of the time they first heard the words “Sarah Palin”. Additionally, these behaviors, traits and thinking must be present to the extent that they cause significant difficulties in relationships, employment and other facets of functioning.

Those with Sarah Palin Derangement Syndrome are hypersensitive, are easily slighted, and habitually relate to the world by vigilant scanning of the environment for clues or suggestions to validate their prejudicial ideas or biases. They tend to be guarded and suspicious and have quite constricted emotional lives. Their incapacity for meaningful emotional involvement and the general pattern of isolated withdrawal often lend a quality of schizoid isolation to their life experience.

Differential diagnosis:

Because of the surface similarities of the paranoia involved, it is important that the Sarah Palin Derangement Syndrome not be confused with paranoid schizophrenia, another totally different type of mental disorder where the patient has constant feelings of being watched, followed or persecuted.